Rethinking Flexible Working: A New Process for Handling Requests and Practical Insights for Organisations

Flexible working has moved from a perk to a core expectation in many organisations. As teams adapt to hybrid environments, there is growing interest in establishing a clear, fair process for handling flexible working requests, alongside broader insights into what flexible working can look like in practice. This post outlines a proposed approach and invites views from employers and employees alike.

What a new process aims to achieve
– Clarity and fairness: A consistent framework helps ensure every request is treated with the same standards, reducing bias and ambiguity.
– Timely decisions: Defined timelines keep the process moving and manage expectations for both sides.
– Balance with business needs: Transparent criteria help teams weigh individual preferences against team performance, service delivery, and organisational goals.
– Confidence and capability: Training for managers and clear guidance for employees support better conversations and outcomes.
– Compliance and privacy: A structured process protects employee data and maintains confidentiality where appropriate.

Core components of the proposed process
– A standard request mechanism
– A straightforward form or portal entry capturing essential details: the proposed change (hours, location, pattern), requested start date, and any supporting information.
– Acknowledgement of receipt within a defined period.
– Defined decision timelines
– A clear timeframe for initial assessment and for the final decision, with a mechanism for reasonable extensions if necessary, communicated in advance.
– Transparent decision criteria
– How the organisation weighs organisational impact (cover and workload), colleague impact (collaboration, access to information), customer or service considerations, and practical feasibility (team capability, equity across roles).
– Formal consultation and dialogue
– A structured discussion between the employee and their manager (and HR where appropriate) to explore options, alternatives, and trade-offs.
– Consideration of accommodation options (e.g., phased changes, hybrid patterns, core hours, technology supports).
– Right to appeal and review
– A clear process for employees to appeal a decision, with a defined review cycle and an independent perspective if needed.
– Documentation and data handling
– Recording decisions and rationale, while safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring privacy and data protection.
– Manager training and support
– Guidance on conducting constructive conversations, avoiding bias, and applying the criteria consistently.
– Monitoring and improvement
– Regular review of the process itself: time to decision, rate of approvals, employee satisfaction, and any unintended disparities.

Practical flexible working practices beyond requests
– Hybrid and remote patterns
– Combinations of home and office work, with clarified expectations around availability, communication, and collaboration.
– Flexible hours and compressed or staggered schedules
– Core hours, flex-time, or condensed workweeks where appropriate, while maintaining service levels.
– Job-sharing and role redesign
– Division of responsibilities between two people or adjustments to roles to enable broader access to flexible arrangements.
– Asynchronous working
– Emphasis on clear documentation, recording decisions, and using collaborative tools to coordinate across locations and time zones.
– Focus on outcomes, not presence
– Performance measures aligned to results, with less emphasis on time spent in the office, provided service levels are met.

Insights for organisations adopting the approach
– Leadership alignment matters
– Visible executive support helps embed the process in culture and signals its importance.
– Clear, accessible guidance
– Put the policy, forms, FAQs, and example scenarios in easy reach for managers and staff.
– Consistent application
– Train managers to apply criteria uniformly and review decisions regularly to spot drifts or bias.
– Focus on workforce resilience
– Use flexible working to support wellbeing and productivity, not just to accommodate individual preferences.
– Technology and collaboration
– Invest in collaboration tools, meeting norms, and asynchronous communication practices to sustain performance across locations and times.
– Measurement and feedback
– Track metrics such as time-to-decision, rate of approvals, employee satisfaction, and impact on team dynamics. Use surveys and exit interviews to surface insights.

What we want to hear from you
– Which elements of the proposed process feel most valuable, and why?
– Are there any gaps or potential unintended consequences you foresee?
– How could the process be adapted to different organisational sizes or sectors?
– What metrics or feedback mechanisms would help you judge the success of flexible working in your organisation?
– Do you have practical examples or case studies of effective flexible working implementations that others could learn from?

Closing thoughts
Flexible working is more than a policy adjustment—it is a cultural shift towards trust, clarity, and results-driven collaboration. By establishing a thoughtful process for handling requests and pairing it with a broader set of flexible practices, organisations can better support their people while maintaining high performance. We welcome your experiences and perspectives to help shape a balanced, practical approach that works for both employers and employees.

February 05, 2026 at 11:45AM
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